1 USAMYELA 31

₁AmaFilista gade alwa nama-Israyeli. Ama-Israyeli abaleka phambi kwamaFilista. Inengi lama-Israyeli lafa ngokurabhalaliswa entabeni iGilibowa. ₂AmaFilista amlala nje uSawula, abe abulala amadodanakhe uJonathani, u-Abinadaba noMaliki-Tjhuwa. ₃Ipi yarhagalela uSawula. Abadumuza ngemisubi abamfikelako bamkhubaza okwesabekako.

₄USawula wathi kusonkhandakhe: “Rhwatjha isabulakho ungihlabe ngife, kungaze kufike abarhali ababarhedenaba bangitlhofoze bese bayangirhubutjha.”

Kodwana usonkhande loyo wesaba khulu ukwenza lokho. Yeke uSawula wathatha isabulakhe wazidlhunya phezu kwayo. ₅Kuthe lokha usonkhande nabona bona uSawula ufile, naye wazidlhunya phezu kwesabulakhe, wafa noSawula. ₆Nje-ke uSawula namadodanakhe amathathu, nosonkhandakhe, nabantu bakhe, bafa boke khona mhlokho.

₇Kuthe lokha ama-Israyeli agade angemrhobeni weJizriyela nangaphetjheya kweJordani nabona bonyana ipi yama-Israyeli ibalekile, nokobana uSawula namadodanakhe bahlongakele, atjhiya imizawo abaleka nawo. Ngemva kwalokho amaFilista afika ahlala emizini leyo.

₈Ilanga emva kwepi amaFilista ahlubulisa iindumbu. Afunyana uSawula namadodanakhe amathathu bahlongakalele phezu kwentaba iGilibowa. ₉Baqunta ihlokwakhe bebathatha iinkhande zakhe. Bathumela umlayezo enarheni yoke yamaFilista babika iindabezi emathempelini wabosingazimu babo nebantwini babo. ₁₀Bafaka iinkhande zakhe ngethempelini labo-Atjhitarothi bebabophelela isidumbu sakhe ebodeni leBhethe-Tjhana.

₁₁Kuthe lokha abantu beJabetjhi-Giliyadi nabezwa lokho amaFilista akwenze ngoSawula, ₁₂kwaphuma woke amadoda anesibindi akhamba ubusuku boke aya eBhethe-Tjhana. Afese ehlisa isidumbu sakaSawula neendumbu zamadodanakhe ebodeni leBhethe-Tjhana. Akhamba nazo eJabetjhi, lapha azitjhisa khona. ₁₃Athatha amathambazo awangcwaba ngaphasi komuthi womtamariske eJabetjhi, azila amalanga alikhomba.